Draft Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Life Safety open for public comment (September 23 – November 2) — on-site witnesses and people harmed during rescue work also counted as safety accident victims
Source material is a Korean government announcement (in Korean).
The draft Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Life Safety, open for public comment by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety until November 2, 2026, explicitly counts accident scene witnesses and people harmed during rescue, recovery or support activities as safety accident victims. The Framework Act on Life Safety takes effect on December 3.
Key facts
| Public comment period | September 23 – November 2, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Effective date of the Act | Framework Act on Life Safety takes effect December 3, 2026 (enacted June 2, 2026) |
| Scope of safety accidents | Accidents that cause or may cause significant harm to life or body, such as disasters causing death or disappearance, industrial accidents, traffic accidents and child safety accidents |
| Scope of victims | People who died or went missing, people who suffered physical or mental injury, bereaved families (including common-law spouses), people who suffered mental harm from witnessing the scene, and people harmed during rescue, recovery or support activities — excluding those who caused the harm intentionally or through gross negligence |
| Main contents | Composition and operation of the National Life Safety Committee (국민생명안전위원회), a 5-year Comprehensive Life Safety Plan, safety impact analysis and assessment, the scope of investigations and operation of the National Safety Accident Investigation Committee, and the procedure for victims to request information |
| Submitting opinions | Available on the Ministry of the Interior and Safety website (mois.go.kr) and the Korean Electronic Official Gazette (대한민국 전자관보); anyone may submit by mail, email, etc. |
| Inquiries | Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Safety Policy General Division, 044-205-4120 |
Last checked:
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (행정안전부) announced that it will give advance legislative notice of the draft 'Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Life Safety' (생명안전기본법 시행령) from September 23 to November 2, 2026 and collect public opinions. The draft specifies that safety accident victims include not only people who died or went missing, people who suffered physical or mental injury, and bereaved families (including common-law spouses), but also people who suffered mental harm from directly witnessing the accident scene and people who suffered physical, mental or economic harm in the course of rescue, recovery or support activities. It also covers the scope of investigations and operating matters of the 'National Safety Accident Investigation Committee' (국가안전사고조사위원회), which conducts independent investigations of major disasters, and the procedure for victims to request accident-related information. The Framework Act on Life Safety takes effect on December 3, 2026.
Summaries below are factual notes based on government announcements and primary sources — not evaluations or opinions.
FAQ
Who is included as a safety accident victim?
People who died, went missing, or suffered physical or mental injury in a safety accident; bereaved families such as spouses (including common-law spouses), lineal ascendants and descendants, and siblings; people who suffered mental harm from directly witnessing the accident scene; people who suffered physical, mental or economic harm in the course of rescue, recovery or support activities; and people designated as victims under other laws. Those who caused the harm intentionally or through gross negligence are excluded.
How can I submit an opinion?
The draft decree can be viewed from September 23 on the Ministry of the Interior and Safety website (mois.go.kr) and the Korean Electronic Official Gazette, and anyone may submit opinions by mail, email, etc. until November 2.
Can victims request information about the accident?
The draft decree sets out a procedure allowing safety accident victims to request accident-related information from the state, companies and others, and also specifies exceptions that apply in unavoidable cases such as national security.